Catskill confidential: Monticello awarded $179,800 pre-K grant

Tuesday

Feb 18, 2014 at 2:00 AM

The Monticello Central School District is slated to receive a $179,800 "Priority Full-day Prekindergarten and Expanded Half-day Prekindergarten for High Need Students" grant from the New York State Education Department.

The Monticello Central School District is slated to receive a $179,800 "Priority Full-day Prekindergarten and Expanded Half-day Prekindergarten for High Need Students" grant from the New York State Education Department.

The purpose of the expanded prekindergarten program is to provide a quality early education opportunity for eligible children (age 4) who reside in the Monticello Central School District.

Monticello was the only school district in Sullivan County, and one of only 27 districts in the state, to be awarded funding for this grant.

The grant will allow 38 children to join its Universal Pre-K program, including 19 placements in the Project Excel Universal Pre-K program managed by Easter Seals of New York State, Inc.

The grant funding will also create a partnership with Sullivan County Head Start in Monticello to offer 19 placements at their school.

Sullivan County native Michael Barrett is the newest member of the Liberty Police Department.

Barrett, who recently returned to Sullivan County after working as a professional EMT in Virginia, graduated from the Orange County Police Academy on Feb. 7 after completing 23 weeks of training.

He was recognized with two awards at the graduation ceremony in Newburgh: the Excellence in Firearms award and the Excellence in Emergency Medical Care award.

The Awards Committee for the 2014 Nonprofit Leadership Summit in Sullivan County seeks applications for its Innovation Award recognizing innovation in collaboration, marketing, operations and programs.

Applications are welcome from organizations of all sizes. The innovations should benefit the community at large. Applications can be downloaded at catskills.com/chamber-information/leadership-sullivan-county.aspx. Email NonprofitSummit.Awards@catskill.com for more information.